If you’re just tuning in to the 2019 Calder Trophy Power Rankings here at DobberProspects, you’ve found us at as good of a time as any. I’ve been excited to use this bi-weekly ramblings platform for this ongoing segment that I’ve found to be a fun way to track the progress of our 2019 NHL rookie class. If you’re interested in how the rankings have progressed over the course of the first couple months of the year, you can find any of the previous editions here: 

 

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… and now that we’ve begun to develop a bit of a trend in the rankings, I also thought it would also be great to start sharing the momentum of each player in graph format, so if you’re a visual type of person… feast your eyes:

 

The fourth edition of the Calder Power Rankings sees a resilient top-four who continue to contribute to their team’s offense in major capacity. In several cases, each of them has been a driving factor in their clubs’ success, making them almost exclusively undisputed in their respective positions within the rankings. Past the top-four, the rankings have seen a minor shakeup, with a couple of players making their debut!

1. D, Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche (-) | 7-18-25

 

The Ave’s defenseman has been continually earning his number one spot in the Calder Power rankings since day one of the season. The 21-year-old has been one of the most consistent offensive forces on an NHL blueline and continues to embarrass oppositions with highlight-reel plays and passes.  

 

2. D, Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks (-) | 2-16-18

 

While consistency is a theme among many of the top rookies, for Quinn Hughes, momentum has been hard to come by. The 20-year-old has relied on several multi-point outings but has been a risky bet on a nightly basis. If the bad momentum has a chance to build, he could tumble in the rankings, but for now, he maintains his spot at #2. 

 

3. C/RW, Martin Necas, Carolina Hurricanes (-) | 6-10-16

 

The former Calder Cup champion is making a strong case for… runner-up Calder Trophy winner as an NHL rookie. He’s in a neck-and-neck race with the dynamic Vancouver defenseman, however, thus far in the campaign, Necas has proven to be the more refined and consistent rookie. 

 

4. RW, Victor Olofsson, Buffalo Sabres (-) | 8-9-17

 

During the second half of November, Victor Olofsson has done a good job of easing the panic of fantasy owners who jumped to conclusions after his quiet finish to the month of October. The Sabres’ left-winger who’s been been a staple on the team’s top powerplay unit has earned more than half of his production on the man-advantage but maintains confidence at even strength. 

 

5. C, Kirby Dach, Chicago Blackhawks (NEW) | 5-5-10

 

Taking the place of 2019 first-overall draft selection is 2019 third-overall draft selection, Kirby Dach who, due to a concussion during the Blackhawks pre-season, came onto the Calder scene late, but strong. The Albertan had the first two-goal game of his career versus the Buffalo Sabres last week and has wasted little time becoming one of the most reliably productive rookies. Dach is knocking hard on the door of the top-four – maintaining this pace will make him a staple in the top-five and likely higher. 

 

6. RW, Ilya Mikheyev, Toronto Maple Leafs (+3) | 4-10-14

 

Early signs of the Sheldon Keefe era in Toronto point towards a more prominent role for the Leafs’ rookie who has seen his ice time jump significantly to nearly 20 minutes per night over the last week. Trevor Moore being temporarily shelved by the Bud’s has opened up a gap in the lineup that has allowed Mikheyev to get a look alongside John Tavares and Zach Hyman, on the de facto 2nd line – an opportunity which could be a game-changer for the Russian.

 

7. D, Adam Fox, New York Rangers (+1) | 3-7-10

 

The Rangers’ rookie has become the team’s powerplay lead on the blueline since roughly the beginning of November, allowing him to pad his offense modestly. The team as a whole had a very rocky start to the year but has begun to freshen up as of late. Fox has managed to work his way into an overall more significant role, seeing his total ice time peak above the 20 minute threshold for the first time this week.

 

8. RW, Emil Bemstrom, Columbus Blue Jackets (NEW) | 3-5-8

 

The 20-year-old Swede has finally managed to establish himself a modest floor of powerplay deployment over the month of November. Disappointingly, however, Bemstrom has been limited to 13 minutes of ice time per game which has hampered his ability to push through his shallow scoring rate of 0.35 points per game. The success Bemstrom’s been able to manage with his limited deployment is a sign that he could break out at any time. 

 

9. LW, Denis Gurianov, Dallas Stars (-3) | 4-4-8

 

A cold streak has taken over Denis Gurianov’s rookie campaign through the second half of November. Since November 14th, the 22-year-old has been held pointless and was healthy scratched by Jim Montgomery versus the Blackhawks. His cold streak isn’t enough to knock him entirely out of the top-10, but a sustained drop will certainly see his value plummet. 

 

10. D, Ethan Bear, Edmonton Oilers (NEW) | 4-4-8

 

I’ve been patiently waiting for Ethan Bear to work his way into contention for a top-ten valuation in the Calder Power Rankings. Thus far in his rookie slate, Bear has been one of the most consistent defensive rookies on both sides of the puck. The 22-year-old defenseman has demonstrated refined poise and instinct, paired with an under-rated offensive drive – look forward to him staying on, and even potentially climbing this list in the weeks to come. 

 

Notable streaking players who are vying for a spot in the next edition of the top-10 include:

 

Morgan Frost

Kaapo Kakko

 

Some notable players who have been jockeyed out of the top-10 include:

 

Jack Hughes

Alex Nylander

Dominik Kubalik

 

Make sure to check back in a couple of weeks for the next revision of the Calder Trophy Power Rankings. 

 

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@olaf1393